Lionel Messi is expanding his footprint in European club ownership by moving toward a deal with Spanish second-tier team Eldense. Officials at the Alicante-based club announced that a tentative arrangement has been put in place for the Argentine star to acquire a controlling stake.
The transaction involves purchasing the shares currently controlled by Grupo TH Soluciones. Eldense noted that finalization of the purchase depends on standard legal requirements, a thorough due diligence review, and formal approval from the Spanish National Sports Council.
This development follows Messi's previous investment in Catalan outfit Cornella earlier this year. Cornella competes in the fifth tier of the Spanish football pyramid, and representatives previously stated that his involvement highlighted his enduring connection to the region and a desire to foster youth development.
Eldense currently competes in La Liga 2, where they have managed just two points from their opening four matches of the campaign. The early season struggles led the club to dismiss head coach Claudio Barragan.
At 39 years old, the forward currently plays in the United States for Inter Miami. His club career began after relocating to Spain as a teenager, leading to his senior debut for Barcelona in late 2004. During a legendary tenure with the Catalan powerhouse, he established a club scoring record before moving on to Paris Saint-Germain and eventually MLS.
On the international stage, his storied career concluded recently following the 2026 World Cup final. After Argentina fell 1-0 to Spain in the tournament match, he stepped away from national team duty, having previously guided his country to global glory in 2022.
Messi is not the only high-profile veteran footballer investing in Spanish teams. Earlier this year, his former rival Cristiano Ronaldo acquired a minority stake in Almeria, adding a parallel dimension of boardroom competition between the two modern greats.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
